A Highway Adopted

Anyone travelling on I-275 en-route to the Detroit Metropolitan Airport can notice a prominent sign put up by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) with the name Muslim Community of Western Suburbs on it.

The Muslim Community of Western Suburbs in Michigan is taking care of keeping a two-mile stretch of a major highway clean for the past eleven years. This is under the MDOT program where any community can adopt a section of a freeway and take responsibility of keeping it clean.

As part of this program, three times every year volunteers from the local MCWS Mosque get together and pickup the garbage thrown on the sides of the freeway by passing traffic. The effort has been appreciated by the Michigan Governor through the issuance of certificate of appreciation of the good work being done.

Background

The ‘Adopt a Highway’ program is very popular in the Detroit area with some key stretches being on waiting list. MCWS worked with MDOT over a few months and was awarded this section to be taken care of. The organizers have noted that,

The motivation and reason behind our effort is two-fold. First and foremost, it is in partial fulfillment of our duty as Muslims to pro-actively engage in activities that positively impact the local society in which we live. Secondly…demonstrating such actions can serve as an example to re-enforce what Islam teaches.MCWS Organizers